Comments

I am not pulling amounts out of thin air. This is the true cost. I also contacted all of the So Cal dealers to find out their prices and they are the same. All the So Call dealers give the 5k free but after that the prices go up until 60k then slightly go down. None of them are $85.

It might be different in Iowa, But two things are true anyware and no one in this forum would disagree: Get everything in writing. If they tell you that all services are $85. Make them write it down as part of the deal as follows:

Car price $35,000 + TTL5k service will be $8510k service will be $85etc...

This way you have the legal upperhand. Not all dealers are honest. Furthermore, and I experienced this, Lexus Corp will back the dealer before they will back you. So if a dealer lies to your face and you have an issue, Corp will ask if you have what they said in writing. If you don't, they will go with what the dealer said after the fact and not what they said for you to make the deal. This is mostly true with any auto maker including Acura. So get it in writing.

The other thing is make sure that you want to deal with the brake wear issue (15k) ask them about it, then if they say there is nothing different, ask them how many miles they say the life of the brakes are, if they say standard amount, tell them that industry states under normal conditions rotors should get 60k, If they say yes, make them put it in writng that they will replace all rotors free of charge before 60k. My guess if that they will not put it in writing.

Look at this document from TIS (toyota tech info) on the Lexus IS250/350 brakes. Lexus are telling the mechanics that the rotors wear quickly.

Ask them how much new brakes (rotors and pads) are and if you feel comfortable with that price every 15k-20k miles, make them put it in writing and then go for it. (as you can see on the earlier price sheet brakes were $400 now changed to $600 in So Cal)

I know that all of this information is confusing and that you are falling in love with the IS250 and the drive and the styling, but don't let it cloud your judgement.

Again I have been labeled just a person who got a raw deal from one dealer and this would never happen to you. I have been in a battle with the VP of Ops for the Western region (Kevin Pratt) and have been talking with the VP of Lexus America (Jim Fowler) and have gotten the same treatment as that bad dealer. Not to mention that I have gotten the same treatment from 4 different dealers in So Cal, not just the one where I purchased. And for the argument that I might be instigating them, that is false, everytime I calmly presented them with a problem and they found every way to excuse themselves from the responsability and make me take out my wallet to fix the issue. Also I am not the only one with these issues, I have found several people who have the same issues here in So Cal. Maybe you might not have the corruption at Lexus in Iowa, But your VP is still Jim Fowler and he did noting to fix the problems with my IS. and this is with a company who states on their website "We pursue perfection, so you can pursue living".

My point is, all of these "oh no never say a bad word about Lexus, I love my car" people are suggesting that a person like me who tells about my bad experiences should be mussled or labeled a freak. I am the true person here that is trying to help. Has anyone else here told you what to watchout for? They may be giving great information on what you should pay above invoice, but a large purchase like this does not end at the sale price and the sales driveway. I am the only one stating what Lexus does not want stated. I am the only one here who has posted links to internal Lexus documents which they would never show a potential buyer.

It is your decicion and do with this information what you want. I cant do anything in your decision on what to buy and how and when. But just think about all the things I said most of all get everything in writing. I am not here (though some might disagree because I ruffled their Lexus owner feathers) to harrass anyone, Im not here to put Lexus out of business. I am here to get the corruption out in the open and stop it. Even if Lexus sales go up but in the process they are forced to change their way of business because everyone wants them to but things in writing, I have won. I am here to help buyers not to just create a group owner dynamic in order to feel great about my purchase thruogh another buyer. I leave that to the car clubs and owner's circles. This forum is where buyers should come to get the truth before their purchase.

yea that is a reasonable price for a major mile dealer service. I just wish all Lexus would be honorable enough like Honda and BMW to have set pricing as to not rip off customers of a region.

If I was in N. Texus I might not have as much of a problem, but as you can see from the price list.

The real problem is Lexus of So Cal has a cottage industry and Lexus Corp is happy to support it. They know that California is the sixth largest economy in the world and has the largest car population in the world. Instead of providing a great product and service for a decent price, Lexus is raping a region of Americans for exessive profit. Supporting a company like that is like supporting Enron or Tyco. Maybe Jim Fowler can retire with $400,000,000 in a few years like Lee Raymond of Exxon did.

I can take a loss of $10,000 to get out of my Lexus or I can drive to North Texas for my next service at $422.71. Both are an unlikely situation. But the least interfering is to service in So Cal for $825.00 and that is what would keep those fat cats rich.

I might have fallen for this sceme and in the process burned my warranty by servicing at an affordable shop but at least I can sleep at night knowing I am not lying down to continue to be supporting a corporate cottage industry of greed and gluttony by Lexus.

just the fact that they told you it was $85 and now you hear that it is $422.71 in Texas and $825 in California, does that not raise a red flag for you about how honest they are?

You know what, believe what you want, and do what you want, pay too much for your Lexus during and after your purchase. I tried to help you.

You already have your mind made up and don't wany to hear anything bad because that would not be in line with your decision. These corporate execs study the buying behavior like you have and exploit it.

Each and every dealer, Lexus or not, has their own right to charge whatever they want for whatever the services they have to offer. Service shops are in it to make money, and they do so by bundling stuff together. The company behind the product offers their schedule of prescribed maintenance, and the dealer just adds to it to make $$$. The mfg doesn't care that it's over and above what they recommend, all that matters is that their items listed on the schedule are in there.

You choose how to respond by going to another dealer. Plain and simple. And this is not just a Toyota/Lexus thing, it's BMW, Acura, GM, etc.

How does one correct this? Fill out those surveys that the mfg sends out after a warranty service. Complain to corporate. And shop at another dealer.

What's the big deal? If the dealer is charging too much, just go to a reputable oil change place and have your work done.

Not Jiffy Lube, but there are many good neighborhood shops. The Lexus dealer doesn't have "special" oil that's not available anywhere else. We get it... your dealer is shady and charges too much... so vote with your wallet and take your business elsewhere.

The problem isn't just the amount of the service, It is a lot more that I posted in the service forum. The point I was trying to make was not that one shady dealer made a shady deal and now Im pissed at it. It's that I did take it to corporate and they treated me worse than the dealer. And they can because 1. I already made the purchase. 2. They have the NDCS in their pocket. 3. They have the money and power to do what ever they want.

I know that there are shady dealers with any line. The point I was making is that if this were Honda you bet they would be all over the dealer and at the very least send me to a different dealer to fix the issue free of charge.

That didn't happen. The VP of Ops Kevin Pratt basiclly lied to NDCS and told me to go screw myself and that is the opposite of this public portrail of how Lexus is top notch in quality and service. It is just not true. This is on a corporate scale. The corruption runs from all of the so cal dealers all the way up to the VP of America Jim Fowler in the Torrance office.

This whole thing started because all the Lexus zealots need to feel comfotable about belonging to a group so they come here and attack decedents instead of joining a car club. You don't see me posting things like "kingthumper" don't tell "kcleuk" that she can get the IS 250 AWD for 32,000 because Lexus sucks. No I don't do that. I made no posting to counter act anything anyone said about any sales prices. I didn't even dispute what others claimed they paid for service around the country. The only thing I said was for kcleuk to get it in writing if they told her to it was $85.

The only thing I did was try to tell someone who asked for help on the true cost of the IS250, by telling them in detail the true cost. And because the truth sometimes hurts those Lexus zealots' feelings, they start to attack me.

It's like telling a person who is looking into getting a pitbull for a family pet that it's not a good idea because they have the highest rate of attacks and my cousin's daughter was attacked, then all the pitbull owners come out and attack me for suggesting that someone might get hurt because they have no issues with their pitbull, then that must mean that ALL pitbulls are 100% safe for young children.

BTW, I did get my service done elsewhere at $65 and then Lexus, after finding that out, told me that my warranty might be voided because I didn't go to a Lexus dealer. I knew that they were grooming me for when a big problem happens and they could claim not responsible. And that was not the dealer, that was Lexus Corp saying that.

But hey if everyone wants to shut their eyes and mouth and open their wallet for Lexus to take what they want while they tell you that everything is going to be ok, Then have at it.

Since obviously at this point you are just pissed at Lexus and apparently you are not happy enough with your IS250 to offset the awful dealership maintenance experience. Why don't you just trade your IS250 in for a BMW 328i so you don't have to worry about paying for service anymore (well, at least the first several years or so).

Disclaimer: if you indeed go with this route, don't come back trying to hunt me down when the free-service period has passed and you figured out your local BMW dealers is a bigger blood sucker than its Lexus counterpart.

Obviously you are attacking me ("you are just pissed" and "don't come back to me") because you are immature and can't handle a negative comment about your precious Lexus.

All of my comments were generic about people in general who have made comments here, but you seem to feel the need to attack me.

If it doesnt apply to you then ignore it. I was not talking to you anyway. I was only trying to help someone who asked for help. If you can't see that then you must need help reading the previous postings.

If we are edited to only nice bubbly comments here, then we might as well be communist with Lexus and their zealots heading up the government.

With every GM car i ever owned, the dealer always recommended their own BS service schedule .... always far more than the GM manual itself stated. Lexus is no different. Anyone following the dealer recommended schedule is just wasting money. My dealer only see's the Lexus for WARRANTY work .... the same as i did with my GM's. Keep your receipts for oil changes etc .... the brand of car, whatever it is, has to honour the warranty if the manuals schedule is followed.

"the brand of car, whatever it is, has to honour the warranty if the manuals schedule is followed. " that does seem simple enough but when you have to take a company with lots of money to court to comply with the written warranty, then it get more compicated.

I do service elsewhere for the items in the book and for $65. I also keep my reciepts. But thank you for your advice.